Inkblot
by The Incredible Nameless Wonder
Summary: To Nym, the royal library is not only her home, but her universe. She studies to be a book-keeper, worthy of documenting and caring for the vast collection. She enjoys this work, and loves books above all others. It's peaceful, and she is often left to her own devices, except when the youngest prince of Asgard comes to visit her.
1. Chapter One: The Book-Keeper

_**Inkblot**_

_**Chapter One: The Book-Keeper**_

The keeper lived in the stacks, they said. He consumed books when his hunger became too much; drinking of their ink and eating their pages. But when he was ravenous, and he found a small child lost in his library, his hunger for books would turn to them. He left no meat on the bones, and crunched them in his large jaws, sucking out the marrow. The keeper was a great being, tall and slender with wild gray hair and steely eyes. His long fingers could pluck a book from a shelf that was worlds above his head, and bring it to his beaked nose without dropping it to the floor. There, he could study it from behind thick spectacles, deem it worthy of his collection, and restore it to its place. If the cover was damaged, or the words smeared, it was taken to be fixed. The keeper did this day in and day out, silent as a grave and twice as chilling, they said.

Children would listen with wide eyes to their siblings and what they had to say about the keeper. He lived in the royal palace, and was almost as old as the Allfather. He could not see into the different worlds, but he saw into the fibres of books, hoarding their knowledge in the tomb of his mind. It was for all others to see, but few dared to look.

Amidst the sea of ears that heard the stories, one was yet unafraid. A small thing of only four, her face was round and kind. Her brown eyes were set above round cheeks and framed by hair not unlike fresh butter. Her mind struggled to find the terrible part of a story about a man lost within his own world of books. She doubted very highly he ate children. If he did, how would they be able to read and learn?

Her thoughts wandered as she sat in the nursery with the other noble children. She was bored, and had grown tired of counting how many clouds were embroidered into the rug she sat on.

"Nym, are you paying attention?" Her elder sister clucked from her chair by the hearth. At sixteen years, Eiden was as pompous as she could be for her age. Her hair was also a clean, yellow colour, but her eyes were a sparkling blue. A smile played on the corners of her mouth when her sister merely shrugged. "And why not?"

"It's not very scary." Nym lisped. The seven other children who sat around her gasped. They had all found the elder girl's story quite horrifying indeed. The smile fell from Eiden's face when she realized that the simple physical act had shaken the pins from her sister's curls. Glowering slightly, she sat forward.

"You're not any fun, you know that? Now, if you aren't enjoying the story, run and find mother. She'll be distraught by the state of your hair." Nym didn't know what distraught meant, but if it made yet another member of her family cross with her, she wouldn't dawdle.

The child stood, leaving the room with her hair falling down her back in quickly unravelling waves. Nym tried to remember the room where she last saw her mother taking tea with Queen Frigga, and swore it was four left turns away.

Or perhaps it was three left turns and one right turn, for it did not take long for her to realize she was horribly lost. At the mercy of her slightly muddled memory, she walked as quickly as she could, trying to retrace her steps. Most of the time, she wasn't paying attention to where she was going, the palace was too beautiful for that. Spiralling golden pillars flanked by delicately beautiful stonework above and below made her crane her neck to see them better. The fountains were bright and clear, just begging her to splash around in them. Looking down at her dress that was still in rather good shape, she shook her head. Maybe not today, but someday.

Her feet carried her up stairs and down ramps until they grew rather sore. Pausing to rest for a moment, she found the first open doors since leaving the nursery. It was taller than she was by miles, she imagined, framed with gold and made of the richest wood in Asgard. It was beautiful and one was ajar. Peeking inside, she caught a glimpse of dust dancing in sunlight. Pushing the door open just a bit more, she realized the dust was coming from the wall-to-ceiling shelves of books. Stacks were placed neatly here and there on tables or beside comfortable-looking reading chairs, with lamps not far by for when the sun set.

Thoroughly captivated, Nym stepped into the library. She knotted her fingers together behind her back, biting her lower lip. The keeper was likely not real, she had nothing to fear if she were caught. And either way, she wasn't scared of him if he was, maybe he would let her help examine the books.

The foyer of the library was only a small fraction of the space being used. Soon, the chairs and tables ended, giving way to the enormous maze of the stacks. Hardly giving it a second though, Nym walked right it. The smell of musty books made her smile, even if it did make her cough a bit too. While she had never been afraid of the dark, she wished there were big, beautiful windows back here as well. The deeper she went, the dimmer it got until she could barely see her hand in front of her face.

Distantly, she heard the sound of a pile of books being knocked over. Her heart catching in her throat, she turn in the other direction and ran, hoping to find the light again. A rat scurried across the floor just before her feet, making her shriek and run faster. It was no use, she soon found, she was lost yet again.

No one would think to look for her here. She would die alone and afraid. Her heart still racing, she sat down against a shelf, burying her face in her hands. Nym willed herself not to cry, but her resolve was weak. Quietly, she sobbed into her hands, thinking about her family and how she'd never gotten to say goodbye.

It could have been minutes or hours she spent in the dark, but soon saw a pale, faint light glowing from just behind her hands. Looking through the spaces between her fingers, Nym gasped when she realized the light was not a spirit as she thought, but from a lantern. It was held aloft by thin fingers attached to big hands. Bony wrists sprouted from arms covered by a fine, dark robe. Her eyes travelled up the shoulder to the figure's face. Half of it was shrouded in shadow, but a thin, wiry beard grew from the chin. Nym could see the light reflecting off of thick, large spectacles seated at the bridge of a beak-like nose. The man was tall, impossibly so, and he was the keeper.

"Lost, are we?" He asked Nym in a voice that sounded like an ocean. Wide and deep, covered in a soft blanket of foam. It churned a feeling of safety in her chest as fluid as water. "Come now, girl. Put your hands away and look me in the eye." Still slightly petrified, despite what the keeper made her feel, she failed to do so for a few moments until she found her courage. "That's better."

"Are you going to eat me?" She asked when she lowered her hands. Her arms wrapped around her chest, and she shivered from the cold wind that seemed to blow only when the keeper was near. Nym flinched when his soft, reedy laughter echoed in the shelves, filling every crack in the vast room.

"Is that what they told you I'd do?" Nym nodded in response, drawing away when he held his hand out to her. "Fifty years ago, they said I made books out of lost little boys and girls. I have never done any such thing."

"Really?" Her voice was disbelieving. Eiden's description had been right, why not the rest of her story?

"I give you my word. Now stand up, girl. Let's find our way out of here." In truth, the keeper needed to find nothing. He knew exactly where he was, and knew the exit was some ways away. How she'd gotten this deep into the maze without him realizing, he did not know. Hesitantly, Nym did as she was told for the second time that day.

"Wait." She said when she was again on her feet. Her little hand clutched tightly at the keeper's, and she marvelled at how his skin felt as dry as paper. He grunted, as if asking what she wanted. Rather than speak, she pointed to the shelves of books opposite to her.

"You want a book, eh?" He didn't need to ask, she looked as if she read. Nevertheless, he made a noise of approval when she nodded and again pointed at a book bound in green leather. He took it from the shelf, brushing the dust off of the cover. It looked like it had not been read in all the years he'd kept the library. "Are you sure you want this one?" The keeper asked, looking at the collection of fairy tales. A ghost of a smile tugged at his lips as Nym's little arms reached out to grab it.

"Yes! Yes, I want that one!" She was an excitable child, her fear at being lost or worse forgotten when something new and worthy of her attention was presented.

"Oh, I don't know," the keeper began. "You wouldn't rather a nice history book? Some of these stories aren't for good little girls." Nym shook her head.

"Then I won't be good any more, I promise." That earned a laugh from him, a true one. It rumbled like thunder and yet did not scare her. He held the book out to her and she took it.

"No need for that, girl. I only hope you are not afraid of Frost Giants." Nym paused, opening the cover of the book with gentle fingers.

"I am." She said. "But mama says they can't get me, no matter how many times Eiden says they'll get me if I'm naughty."

"Your mother is right. Frost Giants are no threat to you. Read that and maybe they won't be as frightening." Nym nodded, taking his hand again, despite the fact he had not offered it this time. His lantern brightened just slightly so they could see as he lead her out of the stacks and into the waning daylight. The child's eyes widened and she asked for the time.

"You've been gone for some time." The keeper said. He knew she was worried what her mother would say to that, and an idea was blooming in his tired mind. She did not release him from her small grip, and she tugged on his arm as she walked to the door.

"Will you help me find mama? She's having tea with the Queen." He nodded, taking the lead with small steps so as not to pull on her arm. She kept up as well as she could, commenting on the stories she knew in her book. Her chatter was refreshing to the keeper, and he replied, remembering fondly the simpler stories of childhood.

"The Poplar and the Stream is in that book, I believe. Read it last." When Nym asked him why, the old man replied; "Do children no longer save the best for last?" Nym promised him she would, although she could not deny that she wanted to read it right then and there.

When Nym reached the Queen's sitting-room, her heart sank at the sight of her mother nearly doubled-over and crying. Eiden was pacing nearby, looking stricken. Her sister turned, seeing Nym in the doorway and let out a shout, running at her. Eiden hugged Nym tightly, both out of relief to see her again and anger at wandering off. She was soon released and hugged by her mother, who put her hands on her shoulders after ward.

"Nym! Where have you been?" She asked in a stony voice. Nym looked over her mother's shoulders at the Queen, who gave her a small smile. Returning it, she opened her mouth to tell her mother where she'd been, but was stopped by the keeper.

"My lady," he began, his voice taking on an authoritative edge that had not been there when he spoke to Nym, "your daughter has been safe with me for the duration of her disappearance." She frowned, looking to Queen Frigga.

"May I present to you, Lady Olia, the keeper of the royal library." Nym could hear Eiden's mouth falling open, and it made her smile just a bit.

"He gave me a book, mama." She said softly, touching the cover and showing it to her.

"I did not give it to you, but I will let you borrow it until we return." The child nodded, clutching the book to her chest.

"Mama, can we come back soon? Can we come back tomorrow?" Lady Olia seemed embarrassed by her daughter's insistence.

"Is our library to your liking?" The Queen asked her. The little girl nodded, shaking her now messy curls about.

"Yes, yes and yes!" She replied. Tucking the book under her arm, she grabbed her mother's hand. "It's bigger than anything I've ever seen, mama. It's dark and cold and beautiful when you have a light. There are so many books and I want to read them all!" Her mother blushed and tried to pull away, but Nym would not let her. "And, I've decided I don't want to be a princess any more." She announced. Eiden's eyes widened.

"Then what on earth else would you want to be?" She asked, remembering how she'd been told by her for years that she would marry a prince and live in a palace.

"When I grow up," Nym paused for dramatic effect. "I want to be the keeper, too!" Her mother's look of mortification faded to confusion.

* * *

_**Oh my goodness, I'm terrible! I should be writing for my other fanfics', but I thought I might revisit an old section. I'm really excited for this fic and I hope you guys like it too! **_

_**The plot will take place mostly during Thor, Loki and Nym's childhood, with heavy emphasis on their lives before the events of the films. Nevertheless, what happens in them will occur eventually.**_

_**I hope to see you all soon! Bye!**_


	2. Chapter Two: Hair of Soot

_**Chapter Two: Hair of Soot**_

"I cannot live in the palace, Nym." Her mother explained. It had been but two years since her daughter confessed her want to become the keeper. It was a well-respected duty, caring for the records and books of the Allfather and family, but she doubted she could bear to be apart from her for so long. Nym's face fell in response.

"I wouldn't get to see you?" Her mother shook her head. Now at six years of age, Nym understood what distraught meant, and how often her mother was.

"Not as often as you do now. Besides, don't you like our home?" Their manor was beautiful, Nym always thought. Seated in the countryside, their gardens were sprawling and beautiful. Her room held all her treasures from her blanket her grandmother had made as a first birthday gift to the silver ring on a chain. That she had received from her father when he died.

Nym barely remembered her papa, but she knew her family had nearly cracked under the strain of his passing. It was a year ago, shortly after Eiden had turned seventeen. Nym's mother was young, but her father was not. For as long as she could remember, his hair was like snow, white with age. His eyes, while blue, held none of his eldest daughter's light. He was cold as the snow, bitter as a winter wind. Her mama did what she could to keep him from his chill, and Nym grew up hardly knowing him.

He died in the summer, as if its warmth had melted him. Mother said it was due to ailments of the heart, but that did not convince Nym. She knew there was once love in her mama's heart for him, but it had turned to dust when she found him doing unspeakable things with the servant girls. Nym was not supposed to know that, but had accidentally walked in on an argument between her and Eiden. The shouting hurt Nym's ears, but did not prevent her from hearing what her father had done.

Barely a month later, Eiden married a lord twice her age in exchange for a generous bride-price. She left the manor, her room and its gardens with tears in her eyes and a sneer on her lips. Nym was old enough to know her sister did not love her husband, and that her mother refused to put the money given to good use. It would be many years until she was ready for marriage, but she refused to leave her home the way her sister had. She would leave on her own terms, head held high and as the keeper's apprentice.

"It's cold." Nym replied, her voice even. "It is dark, and even with a light, it is no longer beautiful." Her brown eyes met her mother's matching ones, and she watched as her heart broke. Squirming away from the hand on her shoulder, Nym turned towards the grand staircase. Behind her, she heard her mother sit on the couch, not long after, she heard the sound of sobbing.

Nym refused to listen to any more crying. In the last year, the one doing the most had been her, and it made her stomach twist. Were she to stay, her family would be no more. The estate would go to Eiden's husband upon her mother's death. There was no doubt in her mind that Nym would be welcome to live with her sister, but she refused to belong to another loveless family.

Lost in her own pain, she packed her belongings. If her mother did not let her leave, she would run away. The keeper told her she was welcome back at any time, and that he enjoyed her visits. Each time her mother went to take tea with the Queen, Nym went as well. Each time, she returned home with a book. More often than not, it was the little green book of fairy tales.

She discovered that keepers' did not live forever and that he was not as old as the Allfather. He had no children, such was his devotion to his books. He gave her knowledge unparalleled, but the most valuable piece was his name. Nym was the only person in Asgard -aside from the Allfather and Queen, he said- to know his name was Hrothgar.

It was Nym's idea to be his apprentice, one that made him laugh. In fact, most of what she said made him laugh. When she asked why, merely replied that it was because she was a funny girl. She didn't _feel _funny, and told him so. That made him shake his head. He seemed concerned when she said she was serious, that she did not want to leave the library ever again.

"You are not happy at home?" He asked her. Nodding in reply, his face fell. "There is very little difference, girl, between sanctuaries and prisons." He never explained what he meant, but it made Nym angry. That was the day she told him to call her by her name. It was the day he agreed that should she ever find herself ready, the doors of the library and all that it could teach her, would open permanently.

Case packed, Nym sat on her bed. She had not taken much from her room, mother would only make her put it away when she came to kiss her goodnight. Falling back with a sigh, Nym counted the ceiling boards above her head. Her room was too small, her bookcase not wide enough. She wanted hundreds of thousands of books, and she wanted to read them all.

That night, her mother came into her room. Her eyes were rimmed red, bloodshot from lack of sleep. Nym did not know her mother had been resting poorly, and sat up in concern. Regardless of what living under this roof did to her, she would always worry after her mama.

"You must know that it is not what I want," she began, her voice soft. Nym pat the space on the bed beside her, but her mother shook her head.

"Why-?" Nym tried to ask, but was cut off by her mother raising her arm.

"Don't. If I sit with you, see you any closer than I am now, I will never be able to let you go." Nym fell silent. "You are my daughter, I have not always been there, especially after your father died, but I have always loved you. There has never been a moment where I thought otherwise. Because I love you, I have not let you leave, but it's because I want you to love me that I will allow you to do so at the end of the week."

Nym sat up straight, any lingering frustration with her mother melting away to elation. She threw the covers off of her, standing on her bed in her night dress. Jumping up, she let out a squeal and ran to her mother, throwing her arms around her neck. The girl could not count how many times she kissed her cheek or said thank you, but it would never be enough.

Her mother hugged her back, her arms tight around her. She loved both her daughters, and loved to see them happy most of all. Nym would waste away in her beautiful prison until she was old enough to be married. The decade in between could be spent in sadness or in joy. Lady Olia chose joy, if not for her, than for Nym.

"Will you visit me?" Nym asked into her shoulder, refusing to let go until she replied she would. Taking her daughter's hand, she led her back to bed. When she was tucked in as well as could be, she blew out the candle and closed the door. Both slept well for the first time in months.

* * *

Nym tugged her suitcase along behind her, ignoring the embarrassed noises from her mother. She believed herself to be a grown lady, fully capable of carrying her own baggage. Outside the palace, Hrothgar waited. His robe had frayed more in two years than it had in over six centuries. He was aging quickly, and the time for an apprentice had arrived. Perhaps he waited too long, perhaps he would pass before Nym knew every secret of the library. Perhaps not.

He offered her a rare smile as she struggled up the stairs, his hands remaining at his sides. She was learning to function independently, a skill she would need. He was not a fool, he knew he was ripping a broken family to pieces, but Nym was needed by the royal family, she was needed by the library.

The keeper saw her mother trailing behind her, and he saw the fragile shell she had built around her skin. It was almost painful to the eye, how willing she was to please her child.

"Welcome my lady, and Nym." He said, glancing at the little girl. She smiled just a bit wider. She did not like to be called 'girl', but it was a habit to dismiss those less than him. Nym was an equal now, or would be in less time than she was lead to believe.

"Hello again, keeper." Her mother replied. She did not know his name, and he knew Nym was wise enough not to speak it. She was worthy of his trust and knew the weight names carried. Soon, hers would be lost to time. Whether she fully understood that was questionable, but she would in time.

"I received your letter, and yours." He said to mother and daughter respectively. Lady Olia's had been in tight, slanted font. It was tragically formal, accepting his proposal that her Nym study with him at the palace. The girl's had been written on pink parchment in light ink. She had not mastered the art of defining each letter, did not press hard enough to maintain a steady ink flow. She would grow, she would mature, and she would learn.

"Then you know that she is yours to care for." Lady Olia said. Her voice was broken, shattered as the reality of the situation finally descended on her head. "And if I hear a _syllable _that you have failed to do so-"

"Mama..." Nym hissed, glaring over her shoulder. Hrothgar raised a hand to quiet her as he so often did, and she fell silent.

"She is in good hands, my lady. I swear no harm will come to her." Olia's lips were a straight line, taught with anger. How _dare _he tell her she had nothing to fear? She was losing her daughter, her only remaining daughter. Her eyes flickered down to Nym, who was looking at her with all the hatred a six year-old could posses. It made her sick to see, sicker still to know she had caused it.

Olia did what she could to keep the war raging on inside her invisible to the outside world. Her daughter wanted to leave her years before her time. She had failed as a mother. Sighing, she nodded to the keeper.

"You swear." She whispered. It was not a question, but a statement. She said it as if assuring herself he was not lying. "Goodbye, Nym." Lady Olia said with the same defeat. Her daughter would not come home with her, any plans to convince her to stay but a year longer were for naught. She would return to an empty home. Kneeling, she held her arms open, and Nym ran into them.

"Visit often, mama." Nym implored her. Olia nodded, knowing that the courtesy of the Allfather and his Queen only went so far.

"Of course, Nym, of course. I will tell Eiden what has happened and she will visit as well." Nym made a face, making her mother frown just a bit. "You love your sister." She said in a hushed tone. "And she loves you. You will miss me, her and out home in no time at all." Nym shook her head.

"I want to be here, mama." She said. "I won't miss home, but I will miss you. Eiden too, I think, but I don't know." Olia's face softened as she untangled her daughter from her arms and stood. With one final glare at the keeper, she turned her back on the palace and walked away.

Nym did not stand until Hrothgar put a hand on her shoulder. The weight brought her back to the present, and she returned her focus to pulling her suitcase up the stairs to the palace. Tired of watching her struggle, the keeper took the bag in one hand and led her to the entrance.

"The Queen wishes to see you again Tomorrow afternoon." He said, Nym looked to him with wide eyes.

"She does?" Hrothgar nodded.

"Yes. She was quite taken with you. At least, that's what she told me." Nym looked down at her feet. She'd done nothing but embarrass herself and her mother the last time she'd spoken to Queen Frigga nearly two years ago. Her insistence that she be the next keeper had been so passionate and wild. A blush burned the back of her neck at the memory.

"Oh." Was all she managed.

"Come now, Nym. You will be charming and delightful as always. Courteous and polite, too." Nym rolled her eyes.

"You sound like mama." She grumbled, wincing as the keeper laughed yet again. She didn't like making him laugh, she wanted to strike him speechless. She wanted to _impress_.

"Is that so?" Nym didn't answer him. There was no need to. He left her and her case in the front room of the library before walking to a tall bookshelf against the far wall. She watched as he gently pulled on a copy of an encyclopaedia and the shelf slide away. Beyond it was a modestly-sized room. With only a bed and a chair in it, there was not much, but stacks of favoured books littered the floor, covering the beautiful carpet.

"Is this my room?" She asked. He shook his head.

"No. Yours is the spare on the door to the left." She nodded, opening the door to find a room of similar size. The only difference was the unlit fireplace and the single, round window against the opposite wall. A space just wide enough for her to sit comfortably was between the glass and the rest of the room. With a pillow and her baby blanket, it would be a lovely window seat. Small as it was, it made her smile. It was not covered head-to-toe in her trinkets, and the walls were bare, but it felt far from empty.

"Was this your room?" She asked when she saw a book peeking out from under the bed. She turned to see Hrothgar lingering in the doorway.

"Yes." He replied. "The winter is fast approaching, and I won't have my apprentice freeze." It was hardly September, and she opened her mouth to tell him so before closing it. He knew what month it was, he just cared for her comfort. The smile on her face grew wider as she looked back to the bed. Not bothering to collect her things from the foyer, she ran at the bed and jumped, landing in the centre. Unable to help herself, she giggled in delight.

"It's just after noon, yes? Am I allowed to unpack my things?" Hrothgar nodded and Nym sat up, walking towards the foyer. The keeper did as well, retreating into the stacks he loved so dearly. Nym knew he would not be out again until long after dark.

"If you get hungry, the kitchen is to your left exactly seventeen doors down." He said. From their first meeting, Hrothgar learned that giving expressly clear directions was very important. Nym nodded in thanks, turning to pick up her suitcase.

Not an hour later, her belongings were in place. Tucked in the window was her blanket, along with a few storybooks. Her bed was made with her comforter from home and her lamp was on the table. Her jewellery box was on the table by the fireplace, her clothes were in the chest of drawers at the end of the bed.

Feeling a rumbling in her stomach, Nym exited her room, closing the bookshelf behind her. She padded into the large entrance room, barely looking up until she realized she was not alone. A boy with hair of soot had his back to her. Quietly, she cleared her throat.

"Who are you?" The boy asked when he turned. His voice was not welcoming or friendly. Nym found herself unable to answer.

* * *

**_Slightly longer chapter this time! And the introduction of Loki, of course! _**

**_As for how often this will be updated, I'm going to try and stick to Mondays and Fridays after this. I have most of the story written and completed, but aspects may change depending on certain likes and dislikes of my readers._**

**_Speaking of which, feel free to leave reviews and such. Is this me asking you to review? Of course. However, it's up to you and I don't intend to pressure._**

**_I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. Have an awesome day and I'll see you next update!_**


	3. Chapter Three: Secrets

_**Chapter Three: Secrets**_

"You are a member of the royal family, aren't you?" Nym asked. The boy, who's clothes were dark green for the most part, were also embroidered with gold. He had an air of slight arrogance about him that made her want to match the hard look he gave her in return.

"I am Loki Odinson, prince of Asgard." He replied, voice cool if a bit offended. In an instant, Nym sunk into a curtsey.

"Forgive me, my lord. I did not know this." She said after pausing a beat. She stood straight again as he cocked an eyebrow.

"Are you a servant girl?" He asked and she shook her head. "Then you may call me by my name," he said. "If you will tell me yours." Nym hesitated but a moment, but it seemed to be enough to insult him. "Well? I told you mine, it's only fair." She nodded again.

"I suppose you're right. My name is Nym." At this, Loki nodded, almost as if approving.

"The keeper is in the stacks?" He asked and she nodded. "Have you ever seen him?" Nym did not reply right away, prompting him to assume she hadn't. "He's a horrible beast you know. He _eats _children." She rolled her eyes in response.

"He does not." She said, crossing her arms over his chest.

"Yes he does, I've seen the blood." Nym recoiled and that seemed to please him.

"That's a lie, Loki. He's perfectly sweet." The prince made a face and she mocked the smirk that played on his mouth not a moment before.

"And how do you know?" He asked, his voice as arrogant as his demeanour.

"I'm his apprentice." She replied, hoping it might throw him for a loop. Much to her surprise, it did.

"You're his what?" Her stomach sank as a smile curled into his lips. Nym was suddenly afraid it was genuine. "People aren't supposed to know the keeper's names." He stated. She nodded in response. "And you will be keeper one day?"

"I hope to be." She confessed. Loki lifted a coal-black eyebrow.

"And I know your name." Nym sighed. Had she made quite a muddle of things already? Obviously the prince did not know the keeper's name was Hrothgar. It was unlikely he'd ever seen him before, anyway. Had she jeopardized her future by speaking to the haughty boy? She hoped not, he was not worth losing her dreams over.

"Yes, you do." She said, quickly followed by; "You can't tell a soul. Promise me you won't." Loki scoffed.

"I'm not an idiot, I know that." Nym never meant to imply that, and intended to tell him so. The prince, however, seemed content to explain why. "Where is the fun in telling everyone else? I like secrets, _Nym_. I'm very good at keeping them." She flinched at the way he said her name, and she could hear the repressed laughter in his voice. He liked uncommon knowledge, and she took note of that.

_You would, wouldn't you? _She thought. Still, perhaps it would be nice to have someone else know her name. If she were to be keeper, the only ones who would know would be Hrothgar, Queen Frigga and the Allfather. Maybe it would not be so bad to hear Loki say it every once in a while, if only so she would not forget it.

"Do you come here alone often?" Despite the thought that it might be nice for him to know her identity, Nym was ready to wash her hands of the prince.

"Yes. Mother lets me read here by myself for hours." Nym nodded, walking towards the door.

"Then I'll keep you no longer. Enjoy your books, Loki." And with that, she left the library, closing the door behind her.

* * *

She managed to find her way to the bustling kitchen with very little trouble. It _was _exactly seventeen doors down. Even if Nym had not been privy to this information, she could've heard the noise for a mile. The hustle and bustle was -thankfully- spread out in a large, domed room, but the din coming from it was deafening. Pots and pans clattered, cooking fires raged and roasting meat sizzled. At the head of it all, a woman no taller than Eiden brandished a wooden spoon and barked orders. She was short, with a frizzy mess of auburn hair. It was one of many contradictions, with locks of it sticking to her forehead while the rest was so wild and free that one had to wonder if she lived in constant fear of it being set ablaze.

The second contradiction was the volume of her voice. She was young and trim, with barely an ounce of spare fat and yet her voice rang above the rest of the noise. Nym found herself wandering to the table the chef stood on, taking great care not to be trampled by the stampede of maids and kitchen staff.

Gently, Nym tugged on the chef's slightly tattered apron, putting on the kindest smile her hunger would allow. The woman stopped mid-yell to look down with unbridled rage at her interruption. Afraid, Nym stepped back a few paces, bumping into someone. As she turned to apologize, she almost forgot who she originally intended to speak to.

"And who are you?" The chef asked, her voice still booming. The rest of the hullabaloo in the kitchen continued to spin on, creating a scene of confusion for the little girl. Nym chewed her lip, wondering how she should answer.

"I'm the keeper's apprentice." She replied, her voice like a mouse in comparison to the roar of the chef. A look of surprise flashed on the woman's face before her brow furrowed.

"You hungry?" At Nym's insistent nod, she saw the woman sigh. "I didn't know keepers ate." She said, her voice dropping down to normal pitch. It held a bitter sort of annoyance, however, and she stepped down from the table, walking passed Nym and motioning for her to follow.

"Haelga, take care of book-girl. Get her something to eat." The red-head ordered a maid with mousey-brown hair and sea-foam eyes. She looked simply stricken by the whirlwind of the kitchens before dinner time and nodded once. Nym struggled to keep up with her quick pace, and was relieved when they ducked into one of the pantries.

For a moment, Nym was speechless. She thought the library was large, but the pantry had to be at least twice its size. Everywhere she looked there was food, and her stomach rumbled in longing. Haelga turned back when she realized the child with the butter-yellow hair was no longer behind her.

"Hey!" She called across the space, making Nym start and turn her gaze towards the intrusive noise. "Don't dawdle, I'll get you food." And once again she was off, deciding she didn't care if the little girl followed. Nym did, very closely this time, and was again surprised to find the pantries had pantries. A door opened, this one much smaller than the last, and Nym was suddenly looking at a crude dining room.

The table was laden with every kind of dessert Nym had and had not seen in her life. Cakes as large as wagon wheels sat beside mountains of cookies and pastries. A sudden urge to eat all she saw gripped her, and Haelga seemed to sense this.

"No, girl. This is not for you." She snapped, sitting the little girl away from the table. She left momentarily, returning with a small loaf of bread and a bit of cheese. Nym looked to the desserts with longing before eating what she was given.

"Is there to be a feast tonight?" Nym asked the maid between careful bites. She shook her head, her face finally betraying how tired she was.

"Not quite, but the hunting party did return this morning. Did you not hear the sound of their horses?" It was Nym's turn to shake her head.

"I must've been travelling here. I'm to live in the palace now." Nym explained. Haelga lifted an eyebrow.

"The chef called you book-girl. What does that mean?" She asked, listening with interest as the child explained what she would become after training.

"Chef's the one with the red hair? She scares me." This made Haelga laugh.

"Between you and me, she scares me too." Suddenly, the maid realized that perhaps bread and cheese was not an appropriate meal for the keeper's apprentice. She was hardly at a loss as to what they were supposed to eat, as a few of the senior members of the kitchen staff prepared his meals. Always he requested simple things. Nevertheless, Haelga felt as though the girl's first supper in the palace was too meagre. Without another word, she left again, returning with a mug of piping milk.

"What's this?" The apprentice asked as Haelga handed her a spoon.

"Stir it and see." The squeal of delight that followed made many members of the staff turn their heads in alarm. When they realized it was but a child, they continued with their work.

"Milk and honey?" Nym asked before burying the spoon in her mouth. Haelga nodded.

"I thought your welcome could be sweeter. If you ever take your meals here again, stay away from the chef, her temper's as hot as the roasting flames. You come see me, do you promise?" Nym did and after finishing her milk, she was sent on her way.

* * *

Upon returning to the library, Nym found that the keeper had not yet emerged from the stacks and that the prince was gone. Saddened by her lack of company, she read her book in her window nest for as long as she could keep her eyes open. Still the keeper hadn't returned and it was then she decided to sleep.

The morning sun was not what woke her, even if it did spill into the room like molten gold. The towers sparkled in the riding light, casting bright shadows on the floor. Nym did not rise until the keeper went to her room and roused her, scolding her for being late.

"The Queen will be cross if you are late." He warned her as she slowly collected her clothes for the day from her dresser. She found her energy from the image of Queen Frigga sitting in her chambers watching the clock tick painted in her mind by Hrothgar's words, and was ready in ten minutes.

"Will you walk me to the Queen's parlour?" Nym asked, hoping he would say yes and she would not have to stumble blindly.

"I would prefer to simply give you the directions." The keeper confessed. He did not like to venture outside the library, and had been doing so more often for Nym's sake. He had duties, records to keep. Every day a new stack of birth records were placed at the front desk, needing to be filed. As much as he hated to abandon his apprentice, she needed to learn how to navigate the castle on her own.

"Don't bother. I think I can remember from the last time you took me there." The keeper grunted in reply, saying 'suit yourself' without speaking a word. Slightly cross at his stubbornness, Nym turned to the door and left.

She realized as she set off in the direction she recalled -although it had been over two years since- that she would never have to pin her hair back again. The only one who knew how to do it was her mother, Nym had never paid attention. Buttery hair fell around her shoulders in slightly frizzy waves, with strands of it flying up at random and catching in her pale eyelashes. It was a remarkable feeling, one of freedom.

Two guards clad in gold armour stood stoic outside the Queen's chamber. It was located much closer than Nym remembered, but the large, wide windows along the hall could not be mistaken. The view was simply breathtaking.

"The Queen invited me to breakfast this morning." She told the guard on the left. He nodded once, turning and disappearing into the door he was stationed at. Nym's eyes began to wander as she walked towards one of the open windows. She never knew the palace was so large, or so bright. It made her feel small, but it was an agreeable price to pay if she could look at the beauty of the sky forever.

"Apprentice?" A voice that was not the guard's made her nearly jump and spin around. Her mouth dropped open and she quite forgot her greeting when she saw Queen Frigga standing in the hall looking at her. How long had she been there? Cheeks flushing bright red, Nym collected herself and swept into a low bow.

"I apologize, your majesty. Have you been waiting long?" Nym nearly choked out. It never occurred to her that by asking, she was prolonging the time the Queen spent outside and away from where she needed to be. Surprisingly, she shook her head.

"Come, there is someone you must meet." Nym nodded, nearly running towards the slightly ajar door. She let Queen Frigga enter first, her little hands clasped together tightly to remind herself not to sprint. "Has your day been enjoyable thus far?" She asked over her shoulder as she led her through the sitting room to the next set of doors.

"Yes." Nym replied quickly. She had nodded in answer before realizing that it was a non-verbal gesture. The Queen said nothing afterwards, and merely opened the door to the dining room. Much like in the pantry, the table at the center was laden with quickly-depleting food. The cause of which was a boy a few years her senior seated in a chair to her left.

His hair was like the sun, cropped short and well-kept. He could not have been older than nine and yet his shoulders were almost as wide as any man. Eyes the color of what she imagined the sea would be looked at her with curiosity. Nym stared at him for perhaps a beat too long as she heard someone clear their throat.

She turned her gaze to the second boy in the room, and she found herself smiling at the familiar face. Seated near the blonde boy was Loki. He seemed rather put-off by being ignored, for he did not smile back.

A maid standing by the door guided Nym to a seat across from the princes, tucking her chair in behind her when she was seated. Queen Frigga took her place at the head of the table, casting a glare of disappointment towards the blonde boy. Nym then noticed that Loki's plate was empty. Again, she smiled at him, and she could've sworn she saw a smirk on his lips.

Nym helped herself to a pasty while the blonde prince began to eat again. She chewed slowly, saying nothing until the queen began to speak.

"These are my sons, Thor and Loki." The Queen said, nodding to each of the boys in turn. "Children, this is the book-keeper's apprentice."

Thor dropped his fork, eggs spilling onto the table. The maid by the door hurried over, wiping them away as Queen Frigga glared again at her eldest. Nym's eyes went to Loki, catching a glimpse of a smug look before it was quickly masked by one of surprise at his brother's actions.

Nym had not noticed the quiet argument taking place between mother and son as Thor moved to stand from his chair and leave the table. She had been too busy trying to catch Loki's attention, wanting to silently warn him again to say nothing about her name.

"Thor, you will sit." She said, danger behind her voice. The sunny-haired boy shook his head.

"Nanny says the keeper eats children, mother!" He exclaimed, gesturing to Nym as if he expected her to make a snack out of him instead of eating breakfast. Something in his face changed when he saw her flinch.

"Nonsense, the keeper does no such thing and neither does she. Sit." Thor did, although it was clear he was reluctant. Clearing her throat, the Queen looked to Nym. "I can't imagine where the stories about him come from." She said.

"My sister used to tell them to me." Nym replied, shrugging. Thor seemed interested.

"You have a sister?" He asked as if he could not believe those destined to be keepers had family. It was as if he only just realized that she was as normal as he. Nym nodded.

"Her name is Eiden, she is eighteen years as of last February." She replied, waiting until she was finished speaking before taking another bite of her pastry.

"And how old are you?" Queen Frigga asked.

"Six," Nym repressed the urge to say anything more, but lost herself to her pride. "And a half." The Queen seemed amused, a gentle smile flickered on her mouth.

"Loki is your age." She informed her. "Thor will turn eight very soon."

"In three weeks time, mother." He chimed in. Nym smiled in his direction. She would not be frightening, he would like her. At least, she hoped he would.

"Loki, you haven't said a word." Queen Frigga commented to her other son. Loki looked up from his plate. He was not shy, Nym knew, merely playing that he had never met her. He was enjoying himself.

"I have not had anything important to say, mother." He replied, voice even. The Queen lifted an eyebrow.

"It is you who can spend hours in the library. I thought you would have plenty to say to our guest." Loki turned to Nym, a barely-contained smirk on his lips. Still, he remained silent. Nym wanted to ask him what his favorite book was if he spent so much time there. Something kept her quiet. Maybe it was the fact that he seemed to thoroughly enjoy knowing an admittedly minor secret, or perhaps because she simply did not care.

* * *

**_Hello! Happy late Easter to those who celebrate it. My chapters keep getting longer but I really don't have a problem with it. I think if they start to get too long, however, I'll break them up. _**

**_Now, in answer to a question, I'll keep the protagonist of this story (besides Nym) a bit of a mystery._**

**_I hope you all enjoyed this, but there might be a slight delay on Friday's chapter._**


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